It’s been a Kimbo-tastic week at ESPN, so naturally MMA Live had to get into the act with their own one-on-one interview of Kimbo Slice before Saturday’s big fight. For the most part it’s the usual material, but about two and a half minutes in Brett Rogers becomes a topic of conversation, and that’s where things get interesting.

First, Kimbo says he isn’t going to fight someone just for running his mouth and says he doesn’t “even want to call out his name because he doesn’t deserve respect.” Right, because all Rogers has done is rack up an 8-0 record, finishing all eight fights. We have yet to see him against Afro Puff, for Pete’s sake!

Kimbo then criticizes Rogers for “just fighting to get paid,” and goes on to say that for him it’s personal. He’s fighting for a cause, and that cause is his family. As for what he has to gain from fighting Rogers, Kimbo replies: “Nothing.”

Let me see if I understand this. Kimbo isn’t just fighting for money; he’s fighting for his family. Which means what, exactly? I always thought that when guys say they’re fighting for their families (a noble reason, I might add), what they mean is that they’re fighting to make money so they can provide for their family. Correct me if I’m wrong, but Kimbo has been paid very well for his each of his three pro fights, has he not? And yet Rogers catches heat for calling Kimbo out and trying to get paid? I don’t get it. Just like I don’t get how, if it’s personal for Kimbo, he wouldn’t fight a guy for running his mouth. Isn’t that exactly why you’d fight him if it was all personal?

Look, everyone fights for money. They do it because they love it, sure, but this is their career. It makes perfect sense for Rogers to try and build his name and up his salary by beating Kimbo. And Kimbo does have plenty to gain by fighting Rogers, such as credibility. If he beats Rogers, it will prove that he can do more than pound on tomato cans and over-the-hill fighters who are on long losing streaks, which is more than he’s done so far. Please Kimbo, fight Brett Rogers. You can both get paid. And if you win, we’ll all stop complaining that you haven’t fought anybody.

Cagepotato Comments

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So let me get this right cr_, you are saying that people should only like fighters that have done well against top opponents? Champions only, perhaps? Know what that's called? Please "parrot verbatim" exactly what people like you are called. Enlighten Me.

michael- October 3, 2008 at 10:11 pm

i hear the fight is between ken and kimbo is off because of a n injury to ken

Jimbo- October 3, 2008 at 11:00 am

I think Kimbo would fight everybody, but right now, he's just a monkey in a circus. He dances to their music, he's not a street fighter anymore, he's got a boss now, a contract, obligations and shit. So yea, ONE love

I'm glad we all have seen two examples of the New Skool MMA fan: one who develops an emotional attachment to a fighter's media persona rather than his ability to fight competently against ranked opponents. Humility? So many of you young idiots parrot verbatim terms you don't know the meanings of.

This is why MMA will fail; because it seeks legitimacy in the eyes of those who follow fighters, not fights. Fans who perceive MMA the same way as they perceive the WWE. And this is why Kimbo never has to answer his critics in any sort of intellectual way; not only does EliteXC rest on Kimbo, but the egos of many Profane Wanna G's as well.

Ahhh, the propensity for the Profane to fall, every time, for the Cult of Personality.

i await the rabid response of the Slice Platoon.

Niggajitsu- October 3, 2008 at 12:14 am

Easy anonymous, don't blow a gasket.

Anonymous- October 2, 2008 at 10:39 pm

Wow you fucking guys love to hate! I'm fucking suprised so much hate u fools have inside of you. "Putting up a face for tv", "Bas tells him what to say" "He's just fooling everybody with the family speach" and so on...

Yall fucking morons are pitiful... I feel sorry for all of you haters cause many of u are fucking skirt wearing men, meaning yall talk the talk but dont walk the walk. When it comes to it yall put your tails between your legs and run.

Dont come here and say that yall wouldnt take the stardom that Kimbo is getting if yall got the same opportunity. Dont say that yall wouldnt be fighting on the streets for money if yall were good at it. And certenatly dont even bring up that yall wouldnt videotape yourselfs fighting/owning someone in a fight, even if it was a poor opponent, cause yall are some youtube/break.com whores. Yall videotape yourselfs taking a shit for less.

Fucking pitiful, all that hate... Fucking pitiful and double moral bitches is what yall haters are. Hating on the guy that's making the money. Yall would of jumped in his shoes in a second if yall got the chance you fucking liers. Jelous sons of bitches, but guess what.... Kimbo will be ALL OVER YOUR fucking faces for a long time coming even if u hate him to death and there is nothing yall can do about it. I not even a Kimbo fan, but man, yall bitches are too much.

GET OVER IT ALREADY.

Me- October 2, 2008 at 10:31 pm

You do know what humility is, right cr_? Would you rather he talk shit like yourself and be a real arrogant asshat. Despite being criticized by a lot of people, he refuses to talk crap about them in public and chooses rather to compliment them and in Dana's case, even thank him.

How often must we be reminded that he does not choose his fights? How often must he remind us that he is still an infant in MMA and that he has a lot to learn? How many times have we heard other fighters comment on how they would do the same thing if they were in his situation.

I want to see him fight real competition soon too, believe me. But I also want to see this guy succeed; I don't want him to fght the best just so he can lose and I can feel better about myself. Why do so many people want him to fail? Compare to Brock you say? Good for Brock and I'm glad to see him doing well too, despite what I think of him as a person. Brock is going to be more successful offhand though because the rules give a greater advantage to his style of fighting. Strikers have no fallback, wrestlers have LnP.

Only fighters that I have no respect for and don't really want to see succeed are any that do not have heart and passion. Also Kalib Starnes, KJ Noons, Launchpad, and Mongo. I'm sure there are more donkeys out there I just can't think of any more right now.

As I have said before, Kimbo relies on the Sheep of this world to fall for his Cult of personality. Any who say he is humble are fucking morons; he's front of a camera for fuck's sake! Anyone can put a face on for one of those, and it's not that hard to fool some pre pubescent little wanna- G who puts all of their hopes and dreams in the Kimbo Persona. Any that have anything positive to say about Kimbo better realise that they are helping the WWE-in of MMA when supporting this clown.

Niggajitsu- October 2, 2008 at 8:53 pm

I like how he said he can't respect a man that only fights for money but when we was walking in for his Thompson fight the announcers were talking about him and said that when Kimbo was asked why he was doing this, he said it was for the money.

drummer- October 2, 2008 at 7:23 pm

There is no comparison to make between Kimbo and Brock, Brock has fought 2 very legit world class heavy weights and Kimbo has fought has beens and never weres.

jim- October 2, 2008 at 6:59 pm

if kimbo beats ken he should fight Mr T who is clearly not a man to mess with!

Oatmeal- October 2, 2008 at 6:29 pm

he was pretty accurate when he said most champs are 30's, give or take a couple the average is still in the 30's

John Kimble- October 2, 2008 at 6:28 pm

Best quote

"I'm not the brightest star in the sky, but i'm a sharp tool."

Old, Bald and Irish- October 2, 2008 at 6:20 pm

Hmmmm...kind words for Dana?

Looks like Fergie is lookin' towards the future....

John Kimble- October 2, 2008 at 6:18 pm

BJ Penn is 29
Georges St. Pierre is 27
Anderson Silva is 33
Forrest Griffin is 29
Antonio Nogueira is 32
Fedor is 32
Rampage is 30
Rich Franklin is 33
Randy Couture is 45
Sean Sherk was 34 when he was champ
Tim Sylvia is 32
Matt Serra is 34
Matt Hughes is 34

That's every weight class and notable second/recent title holder. I believe Chuck Liddell was a title holder from ages 35-37

Kenny Rogers- October 2, 2008 at 5:55 pm

Kimbo wouldn't make it out of the first round with Brett. Just ask James Thompson.

Geriatric Peon- October 2, 2008 at 5:26 pm

I also forgot about Miguel Torres at 27 and Forrest at 29 but damn me if I keep thinking of no names holding minor belts.

Joey- October 2, 2008 at 5:24 pm

Did he really say Gina Carano was the best pound for pound fighter in the world? Is Kimbo really that fucking stupid.
I know you work for Elite XC Kimbo, but give credit where credit is due. Anderson Silva, BJ Penn, Georges St. Pierre, even Urijah Faber would have all been acceptable answers. But Gina Fucking Carano? Please.

Massiveamounts- October 2, 2008 at 5:15 pm

Got a question, what would last longer, Ken vs Kimbo in a spelling bee or Ken vs Shamrock in a fight..? Ken and Kim both come off incredible dense in interviews, while using words where they dont' belong and sounding like they were both taught how to speak by a caveman. I"m glad he's humble but I think more than anything that's Bas telling him what to say...or how to be humble, he isn't telling what to say, that's an insult to Bas, English is Bas's second language and he speaks much better than Kim.

Geriatric Peon- October 2, 2008 at 5:12 pm

All champions are 35 -37? Well GSP is 27 and Faber is 29, but I guess those guys aren't big enough names for Slice to know them....... idiot

mmmiles- October 2, 2008 at 5:05 pm

While Kimbo might be a sideshow to real MMA, I have to give him respect and credit for basically getting a huge opportunity (once in a lifetime really) and being smart about it. Training hard, being humble and coming across as remarckably reasonable in interviews - win or lose he's set himself up for a decent number of pay days, that will probably put a house over his head and feed his kids for a long time.

tricky dicky- October 2, 2008 at 5:04 pm

lmao right.. Kimbo has more class in his beard than roger's does in his whole body..

1/10.

dandaman- October 2, 2008 at 4:52 pm

wow, some humility saying that bj penn would kick his ass, and not shit talking to dana, are they taking the hood out of the nigger here?